Blades of Betrayal
by May Sparrow
Summary: Another private Gaia RP story. Zim and his friends have been betrayed. But by who? Will they escape? M for gore. Death.
1. Discoveries and Reactions

**Another Gaia RP story. This one is sadder, darker. For my friends who like angst (you know who you are, Doma!) I hope you like it. I'm literally typing chapter two as we speak. **

**DISCLAIIMER: I don't own Zim, Dib, Izetta, Mercury, Scarlet, Tommy, Kit, Professor Membrane, or any of the spooky guys. Just May. The overly dramatic one.**

* * *

Zim open his eyes slowly. "What…?" He blinked at the bright lights above him. "What's going…" Zim tried to move, but found his arms were chained behind him.

He'd been forced into a kneeling position, back arched down painfully. "Where am I?"

Then it came back to him.

_He'd been sitting on his couch, out of his disguise, as GIR had watched The Angry Monkey Show, when the door burst open. Startled, Zim jumped to his feet as tall human men ran towards him, grabbing his arms, pushing his head down, snapping a pair of electric cuffs on him. Zim lost consciousness before he could question what was happening._

Zim blinked, raising his head quickly. "Release me! Release Zim!" A whimper on his left and a squeak on his right snapped him out of his angry shouting. He turned his head, looking for the sources. Mercury, Izetta, Kit, and Scarlet were all in the same positions. Mercury was crying, Izetta hiccupping, and Scarlet was looking away as though trying to fight off some emotion. Kit was blinking in confusion and panic.

No. No, no, no! What was going on! Zim's expression of anger turned to panic. Why were they here?

Of course. A human had betrayed them. They had been found out. Zim grit his teeth, glaring at the wall across from him. It reflected his face back at him, but he knew from watching those forensic shows that someone watched from beyond it. He sent his darkest glare towards them, while his mind whirled with one question: who?

May? No, she wasn't like that. And she wouldn't have the motive; she cared too much for all of her friends. Dib, then? Perhaps. He'd always been driven mad when Zim taunted him, but he cared for Mercury and Izetta! Maybe he hadn't meant to expose them, just Zim. To be rid of him for good. It made sense.

Who else? Tommy? No, he didn't have the guts, the girl.

So Dib was the only suspect. Zim bared his teeth at the glass. "Show your face, you dirty coward!"

No face appeared. Instead, Zim felt someone grab his shoulders; he gasped as they pulled at his antennae. "Stop… stop…" he gasped out loud as they pulled him back onto a cold table, watched as they dragged the others to ones like it. He was helpless as the men he could see yanked on Mercury's hair, making her screech; useless as they stuffed silencers into each Irken's mouth.

He watched as the men in sterile outfits approached him, scalpels in hand. Zim shut his eyes as they cut his uniform away, revealing the skin underneath.

From behind the glass window, he heard a scream.

* * *

**M**ay, Dib, and Tommy entered the dark room, escorted by tall men with a sense of foreboding. "Hey Dad," Dib said as he saw the man who he'd been cloned from. "You wanted us?"

May grinned at the scientist. "Can I just ask, what's with the escort?" Her smile faltered as her eyes fell upon the glass window. "What's…"

Professor Membrane smiled at the children, but one couldn't see it under his coat. "Hello children! Thanks to your cooperation, I have made an astounding discovery! Aliens truly exist! And-" the man was suddenly interrupted as May stepped forward.

"What are you doing? Let them go! No! No, let them go, they didn't do anything!" She ran towards the glass, only to be held back by the tall dark men. She screamed as the men on the other side of the glass pulled the aliens onto the tables and cut Zim's shirt away. "Stop it, you're hurting them! Stop, STOP!" She struggled in their arms. "Please God, I'll do anything, just let them go!" May felt tears come to her eyes as a man in glasses and a white suit made a careful cut down Zim's front, not bothering to inject the alien with anything first. "No, NO! Zim! Mercury! Izetta, Scar! Kit! Have mercy, please! Stop hurting them!" She tore free from the men and slammed her fists against the glass, tears openly pouring down her face. "It isn't fair, they didn't do anything!"

Professor Membrane stared in horror as the girl pounded her fists on the window, as the men tried to restrain her. But the girl fought like a wild cat; no one could get a grip on her. "Dib, stop her!"

Dib was just staring from the window to his father in what looked like total disgust. "How could you, Dad? The only friends I ever had, and you choose_ now _to believe me?"

His father shook his head. "It is not a question about believing you, son. It was not you who helped me discover this. And think of the wonders we could do! The things we could learn! For so small a sacrifice!"

"Tell that to them!" May screamed. Her fists swung out, hitting an intercom button so those on the other side could hear them.

"Please, take me! Not them! Someone help them! Dear God, they're my friends! Why won't you listen?" May banged the glass until she lost all her drive, and panted, supporting herself on the glass. She sniffled, and Dib approached her carefully. "May?"

She turned suddenly. "It was you, wasn't it? You hated Zim so much you turned him in! You turned them all in, Dib!"

"It wasn't me, May! I would never have done that!" Dib shook his head frantically, grabbing May's shoulders. "I swear, it wasn't me!"

"It was me."

Tommy hadn't spoken since they had arrived. But now he did.

"I turned them in."

* * *

**Z**im winced in pain from the knife. He tried to speak through the mouthpiece, to no avail.

May's screaming filled the room. _"Please, take me! Not them! Someone help them! Dear God, they're my friends! Why won't you listen?"_

Zim looked up. May? She was watching this? Someone was actually forcing her to watch this? That was cruel, not only for them, the victims, but for her!

"_I swear, it wasn't me!"_ Now Dib's voice filled the air. He was claiming he was innocent. Zim smirked weakly; what a liar.

"_It was me."_

If Zim could open his mouth, his jaw would've fallen to the ground. Tommy? No, it made no sense! The boy was a coward, and he would never take the risk to turn Mercury and Izetta in!

The voices were tuned out as the scientists cut again, creating a T shape on his chest. Zim felt his eyes water, and bit down on his silencer, seething. They didn't deserve this!

Damn Tommy!

Dark with rage, Zim lost consciousness as the scientists pulled the flesh away from his chest.

* * *

**M**ay and Dib stared at Tommy in disbelief, frozen in shock.

"But… why?" May peeped sadly. "Why would you…?" Dib held her carefully as he felt her tense.

"Why? _Why?_ Because Zim's a threat, that's why!" Tommy looked absolutely livid. "Am I the only one who sees that no one would've been hurt or killed if Zim had never come here? No one would be in danger anymore! Because the cause of this would've been dead!" He pointed out into the autopsy room as the scientists proceeded onto Mercury and Izetta.

May shook, and Dib held her tighter. "Tommy! Look at what you're doing! Mercury and Izetta are suffering! And Scar and Kit! They're your friends! Look at what you're doing to them! All for one alien? One_ friend_?"

Tommy looked away, and the couple could sense a trace of regret. "He's not my friend. He's a menace. And sometimes people have to be sacrificed to destroy a menace." He glared at Dib. "You of all people should know that!"

Professor Membrane patted Tommy on the shoulder. "Listen to the boy, son. People must be sacrificed for science. So few lives for so much knowledge!"

Dib shook his head, refusing to look at both Tommy and Professor Membrane. "You… you're both sick!" He pulled May away from the window, keeping her from looking. She shook in his arms.

"They…They…."

"I know, May." Dib kept his arms around her protectively as he led her out of the room quickly. "We'll fix this somehow." The emotion of anger of Zim's face before he passed haunted the boy's thoughts, the look of one that's been betrayed in the worst way. He had seen that look before, when he'd hacked the alien's PAK whilst not in his right mind; this was the same expression, yet tenfold stronger. Swallowing, Dib tightened his arms around May. "I promise we'll fix it."

* * *

**Z**im woke up, shivering, curled in a tiny ball. What had they done to him? What horrors awaited him when he studied his body? Wincing, he slowly uncurled himself, stretching on the cold steel floor.

At a first glance, Zim was grateful. He was still in one piece, thank Irk.

On further inspection, he cringed in horror.

He lay stark naked, lines running down his body, from the T shape down the length of his arms and legs. Well, leg. The robotic one had been removed, leaving a stump in its place from the knee down. Touching his back carefully, he could feel the scars there as well. Zim trembled, curling back into a fetal position. This was beyond embarrassing and sick. This was _sadistic._

He looked around him, antennae twitching fearfully. Yes, the might Irken Zim was scared. So very scared. Slowly, his magenta eyes took in his surroundings.

Though he was in a cell that he alone occupied, the walls were clear, and he could see his fellow prisoners. Mercury was curled up in a little ball on the floor, sobbing softly, and Izetta was up against the corner, trying to disappear. Scarlet was lying face-down on the floor, and Kit was just sitting in the middle of his cell, terror written over his face. Each Irken was unclothed, and identical scars covered their torsos and limbs.

Zim uncurled again, slowly crawling to the chamber next to him. Mercury. Even though he couldn't reach her, he would still try to comfort her. "Don't cry. Our human friends will get us out, you'll see!"

"What friends?" Scarlet's voice made him turn to look at her, her furious face turned up from the dirt to glare at him. "Humans aren't our friends. They're all traitors."

Zim shook his head. "That's not-"

"Shut up Zim! We can't trust anyone on this rotten planet! Look what they did to us, after being here a year with them! We tried being friends. It was a trick! A lie!"

Mercury's sobs became louder. Zim lost it. "Shut up! Just because you destroyed all things that would _want_ to be near you, doesn't mean we all did!"

Scarlet hissed at this. "Oh, so you don't know about destruction? If you hadn't been born, we wouldn't be in this mess. Everything comes back to you! Every death, every problem, everything! This is your fault, Zim!"

Zim froze. "My…" She…made sense. It had been proven he was a defect. If he hadn't been created, no blackouts would've occurred, no landing on Earth, no Scarlet and Mercury arriving, no Tak, which meant no Black, no _nothing_.

Maybe he _was_ to blame.

Zim shook. "But…"

"But nothing. Because of you, we're all gonna die. Because we trusted that traitor. We can't trust anyone."

Scarlet looked away, fire still bright in her eyes. At that moment, the door opened.

Professor Membrane entered, hand on Tommy's shoulder and followed by several men in white. He looked down at the boy. "You helped us capture them; I'll let you choose. Who shall we take first for further inspection?"

Tommy looked up from the ground, straight into Zim's face. His face was tight with disgust. "The one with the robot leg."

_Further inspection?_ Zim shook his head pleadingly. Oh Irk, no. His fearful look had no effect on the tall men as Professor Membrane nodded. "You heard him," the scientist said, and the men advanced, the front of the capsule sliding open.

Zim tried to get away. "No, no!" His tried to escape, unleashing his PAK legs, but they fell limply to the ground and retracted, and the tall men grabbed at his arms and face. "Help, no, please!" He didn't want to, he couldn't get away, oh, someone, anyone, help!

The other Irkens watched fearfully as the Tallest was pulled out of his capsule and out of the room, struggling to escape the strong human arms.

Professor Membrane nodded cheerfully. "Come, Tommy. I'll even let you make the first surgical cut!" He walked out of the room, but Tommy paused, looking back at the imprisoned aliens. For a moment, his face was filled with regret; then it hardened with disdain, and he walked away without a second glance, the door slamming shut behind him.

There was a pause. Then Mercury began to cry again.

* * *

**Well. That sucked. Again, working on Chapter Two. Meanwhile, review me!**


	2. Rescue and Loss

**Chapter Two. For my people who can't wait. People cry, people die, and people get shot. Literally. Death here.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own no one but May, and my knowledge of Irken training.**

"We're doomed. We're doomed, we're doomed, we're doomed. We are-"

"Shut up Scarlet!" Izetta lost her temper. "Just shut up! You're not helping anyone with your negativity!" She swallowed. She was _not_ going to die. She couldn't! Tommy was her friend!

It had been almost a human hour since the men in white had taken Zim. The Irkens waited with desperate anticipation as the time passed. A single question hung over each of them: who would be next?

And then the door opened. The prisoners looked up all at once, waiting for the tall men to enter, or Professor Membrane, or perhaps Tommy.

It was none of those three. Instead, Dib and May stormed the room. Dib found the cell opener, and the chambers opened together, the Irkens scrambling out instinctively. Only Scarlet stayed in hers, a sullen expression on her face. May ran to each Irken individually, handing them a set of clothes. She hugged them tightly, worry written on her face, as Dib watched the door nervously. "Come on! We don't have much time!"

May approached Scarlet slowly. "Scar? Come on." She cringed as Scarlet swiped at her face, clawing at her. "Get away from me, filthy traitor! I'm not stupid, I can see through you! You won't get me!"

May looked hurt for a second, and Dib hopped from foot to foot frantically. Scarlet hissed at her, distrust pouring off of the Irken. May pleaded with her. "Come on Scar. Please. We have to get you somewhere safe!"

Scarlet shook her head. "No! I won't let them get me! Not like they got Zim!"

"Zim? Zim!" May turned to one of the remaining piles of clothes. A single robot leg lay on the top, and May paled considerably. She turned back to Scarlet, grabbing her. "Where is he? What did they do!"

* * *

**T**here is a reason Irkens fear the knife. Part of the training they are forced to learn is to not break and give information if caught. To learn the importance and necessity of this rule, each Irken is forced onto a cold dissection table, and cut open by their own race. They are not given anesthetic.

After the procedure, medical drones cure them so quickly no scars remain, but the scars on the victim's psyche can never be removed. Some are driven insane from the procedure. Others do not even survive it.

On many occasions, an Irken's terror is so great, its pain so overwhelming, that its PAK purposely suppresses the memory to keep the Irken alive. This leaves the specimen only half-sane, its trust totally removed, but it can recover, slowly. These are the lucky ones.

But the memory is still there. And if forced to undergo a similar procedure, as many caught invaders do, the memory will resurface, doubling the pain and terror.

Zim screamed as the men pushed him down onto the table, sobbing as they locked his arms and leg down. The memories of true pain flooded back into him, and he screamed again, struggling against his bonds. _"No! Don't take me! I'm not ready! No, stop! Kill me, kill me! Not this!"_ He hiccupped, whimpering, magenta eyes pouring silver Irken tears.

Tommy stood above him as he cried, eyes dark. "Shut up Zim," he muttered, his tone emotionless. "You're getting no pity here." Inside, his resolve was breaking. He'd never seen Zim break down like this! He swallowed._ Don't break. Menace. Monster. Deserves this._ Sighing, Tommy reached out for the surgical knife, his fingers wrapping around the cool blade.

At the sight of it, Zim screamed once more, fighting even harder for freedom. Why was no one helping him? Why couldn't they let him go?

Someone began to mess with his PAK, and his limbs suddenly fell limp, refusing to cooperate. They had shut off his reaction receptors! He couldn't fight back! Zim squeezed his eyes shut as Tommy placed the knife to his chest. His breath came in ragged gasps as he struggled to regain control of his body, but it was no use.

Eyes unmoving, he tried to escape it all. _This is not real, this is not real. The knife is not entering my chest, not moving down. Tommy is not here, not holding the blade. Tommy does not exist. I'm not here, I'm dozing on my couch. My imagination has gotten the better of me once more. Any second now GIR will attack my head, and I'll snap out of it, and go back to annoying May and Dib. What's that? No, the blade is not moving across my arms and leg. In fact, I never lost my leg. Hey, that tickles. No one is pulling at my sgueedly spooch, GIR is just tickling me._ Locked in his mind, Zim's instincts took over, and he moaned as the scientists opened his chest to the elements again. He gasped as they ran their fingers over his muscles, feeling their tension.

_This isn't real, it isn't real. My antennae are not being tugged at. I do not feel a thing._

_Not a thing._

* * *

**T**ommy looked disdainfully at the mess of an Irken before him. They had been at this for almost an hour, the Irken crying the entire time. The scientists had gone so far as to collect these tears for study later. Tommy swallowed again.

"How much longer?" he asked, his voice stressed.

"Not long. He's a strong one. He must've been through a lot to lose a leg. But if blood loss doesn't take him, studying the PAK will." Professor Membrane smiled at the boy. "I would like to thank you. You are helping your country destroy a menace and learn new information."

Tommy nodded. "It was no big deal. I'm just a little worried for May and Dib."

The professor looked confused. "I was wondering about their reactions. They seem to be under the impression that these aliens are their friends. Perhaps they are brainwashed.

Tommy stiffened, then nodded. "Brainwashed."

"Liar."

Tommy turned in surprise. May was holding a laser gun shakily, pointed at his head. Her face was filled with desperation, with slight craze. "Let him go."

Dib stepped up from behind her, arms filled with red and black clothing and a short black robotic leg. "You heard her. I wouldn't mess with May when she's mad."

"Easy, child." Professor Membrane held up his hands in a peaceful manner. "You don't know what you're doing. The creature has tricked you. You must fight it."

May switched her aim towards him. "Nothing to fight. Now step away from the Irken before someone gets hurt!"

The men stepped away from the alien, but Tommy remained. He frowned. "You wouldn't kill me, May!"

She swallowed, gun trailed on his head, then began to lower it. He smiled. The smile faded as she pulled the trigger, and the laser hit him in the leg. He collapsed, screaming.

"Killing and shooting are not the same thing."

May swallowed as Dib ran forward past the boy, towards the alien. She stepped forward slowly.

"May? I'm not sure I can administer this right? Can you…?" Dib swallowed, holding up a jar filled with a blue goopy substance. She nodded and handed him the gun, opening the jar and dipping her fingers in it. Slowly, she closed the gaps on Zim's chest cavity and ran her fingers over the cuts, coating them thickly with the substance. Wiping her fingers on her shirt, she picked up the robot leg and carefully locked it into place, breathing deeply. "Get the PAK." She took the gun from him, and Dib set to work. He swallowed, the image of Tommy being shot burned in his brain. He could hear the boy whimpering in pain as he turned the reaction receptors back on, as well as the weaponry.

Zim's eyes snapped open, and he gasped. _Not real, not-_ His hands curled into fists again, and he struggled again the metal clasps holding him down.

"Zim? Zim, it's okay. We're getting you out." May's voice registered slowly in his mind as the clasps opened. She held his wrist carefully, watching the nanobots in the serum do their work, the scars slowly melding together. Her eyes moved to his face, filled with panic. She swallowed, her fingers tightening around his own. "The others are waiting for us."

Dib rose from underneath the table. "What's he waiting for? We have to get out of here!"

"He's scared. I think he's confused. We have to help him." May thrust the gun back into Dib's hands and draped Zim's arm around her shoulder and lifted him up, supporting him. He moaned. "Don't… I can…."

May held him as he struggled to find his balance. She helped him pull his clothes on, like a mother would with her child. "I've got you. Alright?"

Zim swallowed, slowly regaining his composure. He nodded, and May helped him again. Dib stayed behind them, gun trailed on the men in the room, lastly on Tommy. He shook his head; he wasn't going anywhere.

Dib ran after his friends, taking the lead.

Professor Membrane pointed after them. "Stop them! Shoot the alien!"

Within moments, several men were up and running.

* * *

**M**ay, Dib, and Zim ran down the long halls, not looking back. It was quiet. That was the sign something was off. Wouldn't alarms be going off?

Dib pushed his way through two double doors, and they were suddenly outside. Zim inhaled the fresh air, and blinked. Several v00ts were landed in front of them, one of them his.

"GIR and Minimoose are inside. GIR's in sleep mode," May said, moving forward to get him inside. Dib stepped inside and opened the capsule for them, and May let Zim support himself. "Go on up with Dib. I'm going with Izetta. We're all getting off Earth, to the Massive."

She hugged him tightly, then pulled away as Izetta's capsule opened for her. "I'll see you la-" a small whizzing sound was heard, followed by a thud, and May cut off midword, her mouth forming an "o" shape. She fell forward, onto Zim, and he could see the stain of red spreading across the back of her purple shirt, between her shoulder blades.

Zim stared incomprehensively as her body slid off of him, and her pulled back, falling into the capsule, which closed, along with Izetta's, and pulled off into the stars.

* * *

**For those of you wondering how the two humans knew where they were going, let's just say Dib got the blueprints to his dad's labs or something.**

**I hate this. I killed my own OC. That's not right.**

**Review.**


	3. Realization and Blame

**Okay, before I say anything, I have to say I accidently stole a quote in my last chapter, and I don't wanna be sued! I didn't learn I'd quoted it until about 10 hours later. But if you guess the quote, and where I got it, I'll give you a free oneshot of your choice!**

**Disclaimer: I own no one.**

* * *

Zim blinked in astonishment, staring at the wall of the v00t. "Go back…" he whispered quietly. "We've got to…"

Dib set the v00t on autopilot and turned, not hearing the Irken's desperate whispers. "It's gonna be okay, Zim. We're all gonna meet up at the Massive."

Zim shook his head. "You don't…"

"What's wrong? We're all safe, all going to a safe place. May and me and Scar and everybody's gonna be there." He knelt beside Zim, his hand on his friend's shoulder.

Zim couldn't stop turning his head from side to side. "May…"

"She's with Izetta." Dib read something off Zim's face. "She_ is_ with Izetta, right?"

Zim gulped. "She… they…"

"Zim!" Dib shook him. "What did they do?"

"They…" Zim's speech suddenly returned to him. "They shot her! They shot May!"

Dib froze for what seemed like the longest time. Then he rose and returned to the controller, trying to turn the v00t around.

Zim rose to his feet. "What're you doing?" He pushed Dib away from the wheel, and Dib shoved him back. "We have to go back!" the human yelled. "We have to get her back!"

Zim shoved the boy, hard. He fell to the floor. "Turn back! We have to-"

"There's nothing we can do!" Zim pulled the human up by the collar, furious. Looking into Dib's desperate eyes, he felt the anger draining out of him to make room for something else: hopelessness.

"She's gone."

At his words, Dib felt his whole body weaken. "No, no…" She couldn't be! May was too strong! "You're lying! She's alive, she'll come back!"

Zim dropped his collar, turning to the v00t window. He placed his palms against the edge of the keyboard, sighing deeply. "There's nothing we can do, Dib."

"She's not coming back."

"Ever."

* * *

"**P**repare to be boarded." Zim spoke quietly into his transmitter as each v00t pulled into the Massive docking bay.

He turned to Dib as the capsule opened. The human hadn't said one word on the entire trip to the Massive. "We must go," Zim muttered quietly, poking Dib in the head.

Dib said nothing, but stood and followed the alien weakly, carrying the sleeping GIR and followed by Minimoose.

They shortly heard raised voices as they wove their way through the ship. Entering a tall room, Zim and Dib took in their surroundings.

Scarlet and Izetta were shouting at each other, faces close together. The anger mirrored on each other's faces was enough to halt anyone in their tracks.

"We should've gone back! We can't have left her there! She set us free!"

"There was nothing we could do, and she deserved it anyway! Her race was horrible to us; she would've betrayed us eventually!"

"You didn't think that before!"

"Well no one expected Tommy of all people to turn us in!"

"And that gives you the right to hate the first human on the planet that didn't hate us?"

"She did hate us, she was lying! Her whole race is made of liars and backstabbers!"

Mercury and Kit stood huddled behind the two, and Mercury finally spoke.

"But May was an exception."

Scarlet turned onto Mercury, her expression making the hairy defect cringe. "How do you know? How!"

"Enough!" Zim stepped forward angrily. "Fighting gets us nowhere!" He snapped his fingers at Scarlet to get her attention; she sullenly moved her glare to him.

"Now is not the time to discuss this. We have all been through much; we must heal. I'll call a meeting in the morning. In the meantime, get some rest."

"Yeah yeah, whatever." Scarlet pushed past him to find a private room. Izetta trailed after her silently, looking to Zim for guidance. He shook his head, and Izetta sighed. Kit wandered off, looking for the medic chambers, frowning unhappily.

Mercury remained behind, looking at Zim tearfully. "What are we going to do?"

Zim shook his head. "I… don't know." Mercury walked past him, brushing his shoulder.

Dib and Zim stood alone. Zim sighed. "A drone will lead you to your quarters. Please go."

Silently, the boy turned to leave. He paused. "She was really torn up about this, you know." He walked out, leaving Zim to a robot, a moose, and his own thoughts.

* * *

**D**ib looked up at the dark ceiling, frowning. Try as he might, he couldn't sleep.

_Sleep, Dib. You need your rest._ Her voice whispered to him, and Dib sighed weakly.

I can't sleep, May. You know I can't sleep when it comes to you being hurt, or worse.

_But you must. You need your energy for later._ Dib shook his head, pushing himself off the cot into a sitting position, his feet on the ground. He rubbed his bare arms, his coat discarded on the edge of the bed.

_Dib, go to sleep._

No.

_Why not?_

Because then I won't be able to hear you.

_Well, you're just going to ignore me anyway._ Dib smirked; this was just like her.

I wasn't ignoring you. I was disagreeing with you. Dib stood and pulled on his boots, leaving the room.

He could see her shaking her head in his mind's eye. _Dib…_

What?

_You're an idiot. You know that, right?_

I know. He wandered down the hall, quietly arguing with his subconscious. It was not long before he was lost. But how can you be lost if you never have a destination to begin with? May chided him, and he smiled. Silly him.

A quiet panting suddenly caught his attention, and he turned, moving towards it. He entered a room with a large view, partially covered with computer screens and keyboards. But that wasn't what caught his attention.

What caught his attention was the small Irken panting heavily, supporting himself with the keyboard edge. What also caught his attention were the broken screens surrounding the Irken, and the blue blood dripping off his knuckles.

Zim panted heavily, gulping. _All my fault. Always my fault._ The shot had been meant for him, he had been the one Tommy mistrusted, he was the reason they were caught, he was the reason May and Suki and Black were dead, everything he'd ever done had caused destruction and pain-

"Zim?"

Zim turned suddenly. "Dib? Why are you not in your resting chambers?"

"I couldn't sleep. I guess I wasn't the only one." Dib studied him, and Zim looked away nervously.

"Your depth of perception is astounding." Zim's tone of sarcasm was half-hearted. He turned away. "Go back to bed."

"I keep hearing her, Zim." Dib's tone of desperation caught his attention. "In my head. She's talking to me."

Zim swallowed, turning to the human. "You are imagining things. You're exhausted. Sleep, and your imagination will not be so strong tomorrow."

"But I don't want it to go away. It's the only thing I have left of her." He looked to his feet. "I don't even have a piece of her to remember her by."

"I miss her."

Zim shook, stepping towards the human. He placed a hand on Dib's shoulder. "I miss her too."

Dib sighed. "Have you lost someone you missed so much, it hurt? It felt like a body part was missing?"

"Yes." Zim's response was so quick, it surprised Dib, and he looked up. "I have. And I never wanted to feel that again."

Something warm seeped through Dib's shirt, and he looked at the hand on his shoulder. Blood trickled down the knuckles, darkening the fabric. Zim followed his gaze, and removed his hand. "Ah…"

"What happened, Zim?" Dib asked worriedly, but his tone reminded the alien of May's constant worry for him. He swallowed, holding his hand.

"It… was my fault. The bullet was for me. Tommy wanted me dead. Everything… leads back to me." He looked away, expecting Dib to agree, to hurt him, as he deserved.

Dib placed his hand on Zim's shoulder instead. "Come on. May wouldn't want you thinking like that."

_No I most certainly would not._

Dib grinned, much to Zim's surprise. "Come on. I'm gonna get Kit up to fix your fingers." He pulled the Irken out of the room. "And stop thinking like that. Or I'll hit you. Just 'cuz the voices in my head would tell me to."

_Dib!_

Zim was extremely confused, but allowed the human to lead him to the hall. Then Dib paused. "Wait. Where are we?"

Zim smirked. "Come on, Dib-human." He pulled free of the boy's grasp and began to lead the way.

"You think we'll go back for her?" Dib asked.

Zim frowned. "I want to. But it would be a suicide mission. What would be the point? Going back will not…" he trailed off, not wanting to say it.

"What will they do to her? They think we've been brainwashed."

Zim froze. "What? Brain…" His mind whirled, wheels turning, making connections he hoped were just ideas of paranoia.

"Zim? What's up?" Dib blinked at Zim in confusion. Zim ignored him. "Zim?"

"Brainwashed. They think she's brainwashed. They think we messed with her mind. They'll want to know how. They'll…"

Dib understood suddenly where the alien was going with this. "They'll cut her open. Dead or alive. They'll cut her open for information."


	4. Opinions and Decisions

**Chapter four. Wow, I'm really getting into this! Four chapters in three days! Hope you're enjoying it! And don't forget to try to guess on the quote!**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Zim, Dib, Mercury, Izetta, Scarlet, or the joke Izetta makes (that's MissDomaYuset's). I'm not even sure if I own the ideas for the weaponry. I don't think so.**

"All right." Zim placed his gloved palms together. "Let's go over this again."

Scarlet groaned, rubbing her eyes groggily. After Zim's and Dib's revelation, the others had woken up to GIR screaming something about sleepy piggies. They had all gathered in a meeting room with a large black table, round in shape. Scarlet, Kit, and Mercury sat on one side, Zim, Izetta, and Dib on the other.

"Do we have to? I already stated my bit."

Zim shot Scarlet a glare. "Yes, we have to. This is important! This is a life we are talking about!"

"What life?"

Zim sighed, and rubbed the space between his eyes. "Just once more, Scar. That's it."

"Fine. My answer's not changing."

Zim ignored her, and held up a finger. "One: May is on Earth, possibly dead."

He held up another finger. "Two: May might not be dead. What I saw may be a tranquilizer shot that only looked fatal."

"Three: Whether she's dead or not, people thought we brainwashed her." Zim swallowed. "They'll want to see how."

"Four: She and Dib came back for us. They both risked their lives and humanity." Zim's whole hand was open now; he sighed and placed it in the smooth black table they all surrounded.

"Five: returning would be suicidal. Six: May wouldn't want us to go back for her. That leads us to seven: she'd come for each of us, despite the dangers."

"All things considered, where do we go from here? Do we go back for a possibly dead, positively scarred-one way or another-child that would go back for us no matter what? Or do we respect her wishes and leave her for dead on a planet where we are fugitives?"

"That's not all things considered," Scarlet grumbled.

Zim groaned. "What did I miss, Scarlet?"

"Oh, just the fact that she deserves to be destroyed, along with the rest of her kind!"

Dib, who had been sitting next to Zim, stood angrily at this, face twisted in a hideous expression. "Shut up about her!"

Scarlet grinned darkly. "You're just as bad as them. You shouldn't even be on this ship."

Dib leaped across the table at Scarlet, arms outstretched to grab her throat. "Shut up! Shut up!" He was restrained by Izetta and Zim, both of whom were shooting glares at the smirking Irken across from them. "See? They're so monstrous they'll try to attack people they called friends over one comment!"

"You baited him, Scar! You were asking for it!"

"Stop fighting!" Mercury's shout surprised them all into silence. "Please!"

Slowly, Zim and Izetta pulled Dib back down from the table. He continued to glare at Scarlet, who returned it with her own.

Zim sighed. "Scarlet, your opinion was not requested. I want facts, not what you believe will happen. Therefore, I'm disregarding your information."

Scarlet growled, sitting back down in her simple sleek chair.

Zim turned back to the others. "This isn't getting us anywhere."

"Then let's have a vote!"

Zim stared at the boy. "A vote? But…" finger on his chin, Zim began to nod. "Of course. That would set things straight. A vote." He clapped his hands together and winced, quickly regretting it. They had not fully healed from his reactions during the night. Dib and Kit were the only ones to know of what had happened, and Zim intended to keep it that way.

He looked up. "Those who agree we arrange a group to return to Earth on a rescue mission, say 'aye'."

"Aye," Dib said without hesitation.

Izetta nodded. "I say yes."

Scarlet frowned. "No."

Kit blinked rapidly. "Of course."

"We go back," Mercury squeaked.

"And I say yes." Zim swallowed. "Scarlet, you're overruled."

She frowned. "I'm having no part in this." She turned and walked out of the room.

"Scar-" Izetta started to call after her, then hesitated. Zim patted his neighbor on the shoulder, frowning at the door.

"Nevermind her." He pulled away. "We have to arrange the rescue group."

"I say we all go back!"

Zim looked across the table, startled. During this whole mess, Kit hadn't said much, only speaking when Zim had shown him his hands, telling him to wrap them tightly and wear his gloves if he didn't want questions.

But this… emotion behind the medical drone's voice was surprising to all of them. The Irken wasn't a fighter, yet he spoke with defiance and determination, highly unusual for the quiet, timid male.

Kit stared at him, eyes dark and furrowed. "All of us! We go back for her!" He turned to look at his companions. "Well? Why not?"

Dib began to nod frantically. "You know there's no way I'm not going." His gaze met Kit's. "We go back!"

Zim blinked. "That's not very realistic…" he trailed off, uncertain.

"Why not? What can several Irken strangers do that we can't?" Mercury suddenly spoke. Her agitation was understandable; she had already lost several loved ones, and she had begged Zim to teach her to shoot so she wouldn't lose more.

And she had a point. "Unlike those drones, we _know_ May. We _care_. We won't give up!"

"But, Mercury, what if our emotion messes with our rationality? And what if we go back, and get caught again? This whole thing would've been for nothing!"

"Damn it, Zim! I'm going back, even if you won't!" Dib shouted angrily. "I won't let them hurt May!" He swallowed, and his voice lowered. "Even if she is dead, I won't let them get her body. Who knows what they'll do to it?"

An uncertain silence fell over them. Then Zim sighed. "Well, _someone's_ got to make sure you all keep your heads." He shook his head, a slight smile on his face. "Go get ready. I'll have the scientists prepare you with weaponry." Dib stormed out of the room, a gloomy expression on his face, and Kit and Mercury followed. Zim turned to follow them.

"I'm not going." Izzy's voice suddenly spoke out from behind him.

Zim froze, and turned back. "Why not?"

She swallowed, eyes wide. "I can't Zim! I desperately want to, but I'm scared!" Her eyes filled with Irken tears. "I can't… I've already been…" She choked on her own words.

Zim nodded, walking forward and hugging her protectively. He understood. After what all the scientists, Irken, human, or otherwise, had done to her, she couldn't go back and have a chance to suffer again. It would be just too cruel for her. "It's alright," he said quietly. "You don't have to go."

"But… May…"

"We'll get May." Zim pulled away to look her in the face. "Don't worry yourself over this."

"But… what if you don't come back?"

An idea struck him. He gently spun the Irken around and opened her PAK. Her intake of breath showed her surprise. "What're you doing?"

"If I don't come back…" he trailed off to type a few messages into her PAK wiring, "then you become Tallest."

"What? Zim, no!"

"Why not? It's a good idea; you'd make a great Tallest!"

"I couldn't!"

Zim smiled weakly as he turned her to face him again. "Yes, you can. I want you to. You're clever and kind, and you make good decisions!"

"But I…" Izetta sighed. "If I become Tallest, that means you'll be…"

Zim sighed, a solemn sadness overtaking him. "I know." He looked away. "If anything happens to us, know it couldn't be helped."

Izetta frowned at his expression, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Hey. What do you get when you hit your head on the main ship of the Armada?"

Zim gave a weak smile. "A Massive headache."

Izetta grinned. "Correct." She gently shoved him to the door. "Go get ready. You have a human to save."

* * *

"**W**hat if they catch us?" Mercury swallowed as she picked up her standard invader's laser pistol. "I don't want…"

Dib frowned. "We don't get caught. Simple as that." He fastened the black belt filled with Irken-styled grenades around his waist. He turned to Kit, who was studying an Irken weapon that looked like a bazooka. "Do you even know how to fight?"

"It's _not_ that simple," Zim said, entering the weapons room. He slapped Kit's wrist, causing him to drop the weapon back onto the table. "Put that down before you hurt yourself."

Kit frowned. "I may be a medical drone, but I'm not_ that _weak!"

Zim smirked, clapping the Irken's shoulder, causing his knees to buckle. "Of course you're not." His face became serious again as he turned back to Dib. "As I was saying, the odds of us not getting caught are very, very low."

"I don't care!"

"Well you should!" Zim's annoyance got the better of him. "If we get caught, what are the odds your father will speak on your behalf! He thinks you're brainwashed as well! What's keeping him from cutting you open as well? You're just a clone, he could always make a new son!" Dib's eyes widened, and Zim realized he had crossed the line. He quickly retracted as the boy angrily blinked back what seemed like tears.

Zim bit his tongue. "I apologize. That was… harsh."

"But true." Dib wiped his face hastily. "He won't care. He'll cut us all open." He looked away. "We can't let that happen. May's… sacrifice… will have been for nothing." He hesitated, and Zim spoke.

"We need to be able to do something to escape so they can't get us, even if they deactivate our PAKs."

"No." Mercury spoke quietly. "What we need is to be able to self-destruct so they can't get our remains."

Zim blinked in surprise. "That's… That's like giving up!"

"No, it's not! If we lose all hope, we need a way to be able to deactivate if our PAKs are shut off! So they can't ruin them! I don't wanna die just to have my insides studied!" Mercury spoke angrily, seriously.

"But that's not possible! If they shut off our PAKs and take away our weapons, we have no chance!"

Mercury frowned, biting her lip. "Unless we reactivate them."

Zim's eyes widened. "But to do that…"

"We'd have to remove them to get a good look," Kit spoke for him, his tone surprised.

Dib looked from Irken to Irken, confused. "But wouldn't that kill you?"

"Not for ten minutes. Which will be plenty of time to repair our self-destruct button." Mercury crossed her arms. "It's foolproof."

"I dunno Mercury…" Dib trailed off nervously. "Maybe…"

"I don't know about you, but I'm going to practice shutting it off and on and removing my PAK to time myself." Mercury wrapped a belt and holster around her waist and tucked the laser gun in it. She turned to walk out of the room. "Anyone coming?"

Kit hesitated, then followed her. "She has a point, you know."

Zim sighed, then also stepped to follow the pair. He halted, however, when Dib grabbed his arm.

"What about me? I can't self destruct, but I won't let them take me!"

Zim paused for a moment, then pulled away from him. He picked up a simple looking watch from the weapons table, and placed it in Dib's hand. "Standard issue invader self-destruct. Sets itself on fire. Fire spreads quickly, destroys life form wearing it. For captured invaders who's PAKs have been removed."

Dib nodded slowly, strapping it on. "Why don't you use them?"

"Our PAKs work more quickly, and they send a course through our bio signature, rupturing the data so nothing remains." Zim tapped the watch with his finger. "These were produced by Vortians before Irkens conquered them; we took it and copied it, making it more advanced. This is an old copy."

"Also, if they want to remove our weaponry, they'll take everything we didn't have before. A watch on you is inconspicuous; not so much on us."

Dib thumbed the small blue button covered in a plastic feeling substance on the top. "So I just take off the cover, and press it, and I'm done? No remains?"

Zim nodded. "Correct." He turned away. "I'm going to practice with the others. You prepare the v00t, alright?"

"Alright." With that, Zim walked away. Dib stared after him, then turned back to the table, staring at his wrist.

_Is this worth it?_ She asked him quietly.

He didn't hesitate.

Yes. You're worth it.

* * *

**Almost there, guys! Wow, these guys are really tough. Going back for the fallen comrade!**


End file.
